Weekend Box Office Report: January 29-31, 2016

The rotund but agile anthropomorphic bear returned to theaters this weekend with enough fury to put KUNG FU PANDA 3 on top with an estimated $41 million!

Though it could be partially attributed to a January release date, that's the lowest opening in the series for the computer-animated martial artist, behind the original's $60.2 million debut in June 2008 and the $47.6 million start for KUNG FU PANDA 2 in May 2011. But KUNG FU PANDA 3 also doesn't face any family-friendly competition until Disney's ZOOTOPIA arrives on March 4th.

The $140 million Dreamworks sequel also opened to $58 million in China this weekend (just in time for Chinese New Year). The franchise has been more popular internationally than in North America -- only 25% of the $665 million worldwide total for KUNG FU PANDA 2 came from domestic audiences.

Still marching on award recognition, THE REVENANT was in second place with $12.4 million. With a domestic total of $138.1 million, star Leonardo DiCaprio has crawled past the totals of his THE DEPARTED ($132 million) and SHUTTER ISLAND ($128 million). Its worldwide total is now $274.7 million.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS came in third with $10.7 million over its seventh weekend in theaters. The latest chapter of the space saga is nearing $900 million domestic and is closing on a worldwide total of $2 billion.

RIDE ALONG 2 rolled into fifth place with $8.3 million and the PG-13 fright flick THE BOY was in sixth with $7.8 million -- down just 27% from its opening last week, a remarkable hold considering the horror genre tends to lose 50% or more in its second weekend.